Window-shade.



No. 875,129. PATENTED DEC. 31

" E. B. STEPHENSON.

WINDOW SHADE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.9,1907.

UNITED @TATE% ERRETT B. STEPHENSON, OF WAWAKA, TEXAS.

WINDOW-SHADE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1907.

Application filed August 9,1907. $oria1N0. 387,865- I character that iscapable of being adjusted at any distance from the top or bottom of thewindow to regulate the light or ventilation, as may be desired, theshade embodying a plurality of curtains that are capable of beingadjusted independently and are so combined that they are capable ofclosing the entire window opening or only a small portion thereof, asmay be desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterthat may be bought cheaply and readily installed, and one which, inpractice, cannot be blown out of position by drafts through the window.

To these and other ends, the invention comprises the various novelfeatures of construction and combination of parts, which will behereinafter more fully described. and pointed out particularly in theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is a front elevation of a windowcasing equipped with a shade constructed in accordance with the presentinvention. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section of the window and theshades shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view on an enlargedscale showing the relative position of the curtains when the shade isfully open. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a pair of the guidingrollers for the curtain operating cords. big. 5 is a similar view of abracket for supporting the upper curtain rollers. Fig. 6 is adetail viewof a cord holder which may be used in connection with the shades orcurtain.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated throughout bysimilar characters of reference.

Curtain shades constructed in accordance with the present invention areadapted for use generally on windows of various kinds and in variousplaces, the construction of the shade being such that any desired amountnary shade, but the curtains are so arranged in the present instancethat they may be adjusted to admit the desired quantity of light or aireither at the top of the window or at any desired elevation, thecurtains being so mounted that air currents through the window curtainscannot displace them or blow them aside, and they are capable of beingmanipulated with facility.

In the present embodiment of the invention, the shade is shown appliedto an ordinary window casing 1 having the upper and lower sashes 2 and 3mounted to operate therein in the usual way. On top of the casing a pairof curtain guiding rollers 4 and 5 is mounted, the rollers beingsupported at their ends by means of a pair of brackets 6 and 7 which aresecured to the casing. The curtain guiding rollers may be of anysuitable length to correspond with the width of the curtains that may beemployed, and they are preferably provided at their ends with flanges 4and 5 to guide the shades and prevent displacement of the curtainoperating cords.

Adjacent to the lower edge of the casing are mounted pairs of guidingrollers for the operating cords, each of these pairs of rollers beingmounted in a bracket 8 which is suit ably secured to the window casingand has a pair of rollers 9 and 10 journaled therein, the rollers beingpreferably grooved to prevent lateral disengagement of the operatingcord.

Passing over the upper roller 4 at points in proximity to its ends are apair of operating cords or tapes 11, the latter being composed of anysuitable material and are of endless form, the lower portions of thetapes passing over the lower rollers 10. A pair of similar operatingcords or tapes 12 pass over the lower roller 5 of the upper pair, thelower portions of these cords or tapes cooperating with the rollers 9 atthe lower portion of the window. The two pairs of operating cords carrycurtains 15 and 16 which may be composed of oiled cloth or otherappropriate material that will render them flexible and suflicientlyopaque, each curtain being of a length equal substantially to one-halfof the window opening and they are independently adjustable. These cordswith their respective curtains form endless belts movable around therollers.

In order to prevent interference or friction between the curtains, thelower roller 5 of the upper pair and the upper rollers of the lower pairare preferably smaller in diameter than the other rollers, so that thecords and curtains will operate in different planes.

Whenever it is desirable to admit light or air at the upper portion ofthe window, the operating cords of the two curtains are manipulated soas to draw both curtains over the upper pair of rollers and to aposition intermediate the end of the window, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.By drawing one of the curtains upwardly until its upper edge reaches theupper pair of rollers and lowering the other curtain until its loweredge reaches the lower set of rollers, the window will be completelyclosed, the proximate edges of the curtains overlapping at about thecenter of the window. Should it be desirable to admit considerable lightor air, it is only necessary to adjust the curtains to the positionshown in Fig. 2, that is to say, both curtains are assed over therespective upper rollers unti their opposite edges are even, thecurtains then covering a portion of the Window opening equivalentapproximately to onehalf of their length.

In practice, it may be found desirable or necessary to provide asuitable device for re taining the curtains in the different adjustedpositions, a locking device of this character being shown in the presentinstance which embodies a bracket 17 rigidly secured to the windowcasing and having a spring operated plunger 18 which is arranged tocooperate with the two operating cords at one side of the shade, thepressure exerted by the plunger serving to bind the cords sufficientlyto effectually prevent movement of the curtains. It may also beadvantageous in some cases to provide housings for the lower por tionsof the operating cords, the housing extending from the lower pairs ofrollers at the opposite sides of the window casing upwardly toward thecenter of the window, such a construction protecting the cords frombreakage and insuring a neat appearance.

If desired means such as shown in Fig. 6 may be employed for securingthe shades against movement. a block 19 having openings 20 extendingtherethrough and through which the cords are designed to extend. Setscrews 21. are

This device consists of provided for binding the cords Within theopenings as shown.

l/Vhat is claimed is 1. A device of the character described comprisinginner and outer endless belts, each belt comprising a curtain and aflexible connection between the ends of the curtain, said outer beltbeing extended around the inner curtain and each belt being movable inthe direction of its length, and .revoluble means for supporting thebelt to permit independ ent movement thereof.

2. A window shade embodying a pair of upper curtain guiding rollers,pairs of independently operable cords passing over the said rollers, aset of lower rollers adapted to cooperate with the lower portions of theop erating cords, and a flexible curtain carried by each pair ofoperating cords.

3. A window shade embodying a pair of upper and lower curtain guidingrollers journaled one above the other, a pair of brackets adapted to besecured to the lower portion of the window casing and each having a pairof upper and lower cord guiding rollers journaled therein, a pair ofoperating cords passing over the upper curtain guiding roller and overthe lower pair of cord guiding rollers, a second pair of cords passingover the lower curtain guiding roller and cooperating with the upperpair of cord. guiding rollers, and a flexible curtain carried by eachpair of operating cords.

4. A window shade embodying a pair of upper curtain guiding rollers,pairs of inde pendently operable cords passing over the said rollers, aset of lower rollers adapted to cooperate with the lower portions of theoperating cords, and a flexible curtain carried by each pair ofoperating cords, and a looking device adapted to cooperate with theoperating cords to secure them in fixed relation and prevent movement ofthe curtains.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto allixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ERRETT B. STEPHENSON.

l/Vitnesses WV. F. SHIPP, W. M. BURGESS.

